Leasing a Vehicle

your car at all times and present it to police whenever asked.

For car insurance providers please refer to the Settling In chapter.

RENTAL CARS

Cayman has many top international rental car companies, as well as reputable local ones. Rates are higher in winter (from mid-December) but lower in the summer (from mid-April) and are comparable to those in the US. Vehicle options include everything from compacts to SUVs and convertibles. Most rental car companies offer resident rates. To rent a car drivers must have a credit/debit card in order to make the reservation, be over the age of 21 years and have a valid driving permit. Those renting under the age of 25, depending on the rental company, may not be subject to full coverage, may be charged more or may not be allowed to rent a car at all.

Advance Car Rentals 113 Owen Roberts Drive, near the airport Tel: (345) 945 9191

Alamo Rent-a-Car At the Airport Tel: (345) 945 7368

Apex Car Rentals At the Airport Tel: (345) 623 4808 Email: apex@abcayman.com Avis At the Airport (GT) Tel: (345) 949 2468 Email: avisgcm@candw.ky

Budget Rent-a-Car At the Airport Tel: (345) 949 5605

Economy Car Rental At the Airport Tel: (345) 949 9550

Hertz 250 Owen Roberts Drive, near the airport Tel: (345) 943 4378

National Car Rental At the Airport Tel: (345) 945 7368

Payless Cayman 257 Owen Roberts Drive, near the airport Tel: (345) 743 1270

ZÜN 10 Market Street, Camana Bay Tel: (345) 943 2834 Email: info@zuncar.ky Rental and car sharing business. Drop zones can be found at Camana Bay, the Kimpton and Regatta office park.

LEASING A VEHICLE

For residents looking to live here for only one to five years, leasing may be a better option. The following companies offer car leasing:

Swift Auto Leasing Tel: (345) 927 5727 Email: info@swiftautoleasing.com www.swiftautoleasing.com Swift Auto Leasing offers flexible and economical vehicle leasing options to meet the needs of new residents in the Cayman Islands. Their vehicle selection is reliable, fuel efficient and convenient to drive. The lease offering includes 24/7 roadside support, insurance, vehicle licensing and all maintenance. A security deposit is required upon signing, along with the prepayment of the first month’s lease. The minimum lease term is three months at a rate of CI$500 per month. Lower rates are available with longer

lease terms. SEE AD THIS PAGE

Tony’s Toys Automotive Centre 91 Sherwood Drive, Industrial Park Tel: (345) 946 8697 Email: info@tonystoys.net www.tonystoys.net Tony’s Toys offers long and short-term leasing options for both part-time and full-time residents. Choose from a variety of sizes, makes and models, including Toyota, Mercedes, BMW and Honda. From compact to SUV, luxury to practical, there is something to fit every customer’s needs. Leasing rates start from CI$600 per month and all contracts include insurance, vehicle maintenance, roadside assistance and

unlimited mileage. SEE AD PAGE 272 & 275

IMPORTING A VEHICLE

If you would like to import a car to the Cayman Islands, a brief summary of the process is as follows: you’ll need to get the car to the Port of Miami or Tampa, book the car on the next ship sailing to Cayman and clear US Customs. Note that if you are importing a vehicle from Japan it will come through the port in Jamaica and then to Cayman. In the meantime contact the shipping company/agent and take all your paperwork to Customs to pay duty (0% - 42% depending on the type and value of your car), plus a one-time fee for future car disposal (see the Environmental Disposal Fee section on page 276). Following that,

head to the Port Authority to pay the Port handling fees. You can then collect your car immediately once it arrives. You can hire a customs broker to help you with this process, as it can be fairly complicated and time consuming. For more information go to www.customs.gov.ky.

Keep in mind that the Island is hot, so a light coloured car with good air conditioning will be much cooler and also easier to sell in due course. Cars with manual transmission do not sell quickly in Cayman since most students learn to drive automatic cars and have no clue how to drive a manual transmission car.

Shipping Costs & Details The average cost for shipping a midsized vehicle (approximately 500 cubic ft or less) with either Seaboard Marine or Thompson Shipping is US$2,000 (without insurance). They do recommend you add insurance. Please contact them for a quotation.

US Customs Law states that the Vehicle Title for used cars must be stamped by US Customs for a 72-hour clearing period (excluding the day of delivery, shipping and weekends) prior to the shipping date. Please note that unless you’re buying your vehicle straight from the manufacturer, it is considered ‘used’ under US Customs Law. US dealerships will often gift a full tank of fuel with purchases, however, be aware that the vehicle will not be allowed to leave the US with more than a quarter tank. As this fuel limit can vary between shipping companies, it is best to ensure that your tank is empty. No personal effects may be placed inside the vehicle when shipping.

We recommend you use a broker to assist you when shipping a car to Cayman. They will help you gather together the documents, such as the car title, letter of intent, power of attorney and bill of lading. All vehicles must be delivered to the Port (or consolidator’s bonded warehouse) before US Customs clearance. Which port you take your car to will depend on the shipping company you choose to ship

Hyde Shipping Corporation 3740 W 104th Street, Suite 1, Hialeah, FL 33018 US Tel: (305) 913 4933 Cayman Tel: (345) 947 4933 www.hydeshipping.com SEE AD PAGE 99

Seaboard Marine Cayman 1630 Port Boulevard, Miami FL 33132 US Tel: (305) 530 5757 Cannon Place, Industrial Park, Grand Cayman Tel: (345) 949 4977 www.seaboardmarine.com/grand-cayman

SEE AD PAGE 97

Tropical Shipping 500 Martin Luther Jr. Blvd., Riviera Beach, FL 33404 US Tel: (305) 805 7678 Cayman Tel: (345) 949 8044

Clearing Your Car Through US Customs It is the owner’s responsibility to clear their car through US Customs or to appoint a customs broker to do so. The following customs brokers, based in Miami, can help:

Barrett Trade Services, LLC 8381 NW 68th Street, Miami, FL 33166 US Tel: (305) 477 1512 or Fax: (305) 477 1238 Email: abarrett@barretttradeservices.com

Deluxe Freight Inc. DLX-GCM 11401 NW 107th Street, Suite 100, Miami, FL 33178, USA Tel: (305) 513 0156 Email: sales@deluxefreight.com (Cayman Broker): Cayman Islands Customs Agency - 39 Ashgo Street, GT. Tel: (345) 949 2350 Email: cica@cicustomsagency.ky www.deluxefreight.com

Crowley (Cayman) 10205 NW 108 Avenue, Suite 1, Miami, FL 33178 US Tel: (786) 204 5133 Cayman Tel: (345) 949 5989 Email: clicustomerservice@crowley.com These companies can also assist you with the transfer of a vehicle from the dealership to the port and help with cargo insurance. They will then send all the paperwork associated with the transaction via courier, so that you can collect them in Cayman.

When exporting a vehicle from the US, an ‘Export Power of Attorney’ from the shipper needs to be notarised by a US Notary.

Clearing Your Car Through Cayman Customs Once your car has landed at the port in Cayman, the shipping company will notify you. You can use a customs broker to clear your car through Cayman Customs, and they will handle the following steps on your behalf. However, if you are doing the customs clearance yourself, the next steps are:

> If you are not yet registered with Customs, first you will need to pre-register on the

Customs Online System (COLS) website (www.customs.gov.ky) and there you will need to complete the form and upload the supporting PDF documents. Once you submit the request they will either approve the registration or they will let you know, via email, if other documents are required.

If approved, you will be given a COLS trader identification number (TIN) and login information. > Collect paperwork from the shipping company and pay shippers. > Log in to the COLS website and follow the process to declare your shipment.

Supporting PDF documents needed will include bill of lading, title of the vehicle and the official invoice/valuation. Before submitting, you will have the choice to review and confirm the information.

Confirming the declaration will constitute as your electronic signature which will be legally binding. This process is subject to change as Cayman Customs is continually upgrading the system. > Once approved, Customs will send you an email. Then you will have to go to the

Customs Office on Owen Roberts Drive,

Tel: (345) 949 4579, pay the duty for your

vehicle and the environmental fee. > Obtain car insurance (you will need proof of insurance on the vehicle before picking it up from the Port). > You’ll then need to go to the Port Authority

Warehouse on Portland Road in Industrial

Park where you will present the Customs clearance documents. A fee will be charged depending on the weight of your vehicle. > You will then be able to pick up your vehicle. > Go to the Department of Vehicle and

Driver’s Licensing (DVDL) and follow the inspection and licensing process. They will also need to see the vehicle’s certificate of title. Note: costs depend on the type of vehicle being licensed. Also be aware that, as per the Cayman Islands’ Traffic Act, it is an offence to keep a vehicle in the Cayman Islands without it being registered with the DVDL. See the Licensing Your Vehicle section for more. Duty Costs Of Importing A Car Since the Cayman Islands does not have direct taxation, the Cayman Islands Government charges import duty on all vehicles being imported into the Islands as a way of raising revenue. The percentage charged depends on the value and type of the car.

The import duty is calculated on what is known as CIF value. Which is the Cost of the car plus the Insurance premium for its journey by ship, plus the sea Freight charges. Below is a list of import duties based on CIF value:

CIF up to CI$20,000 = 29.5%

CIF up to CI$25,000 = 32%

CIF up to CI$30,000 = 37%

CIF from CI$30,000 and up = 42%

Duty Costs Of Importing An Electric or Hybrid Car See the list below for import duties on electric and hybrid cars for personal use based on CIF value.

Electric Vehicles: CIF up to CI$29,999 = 0% CIF up to CI$60,999 = 5% CIF up to CI$99,999 = 10% CIF from CI$100,000 = 15%

Hybrid vehicles: CIF up to CI$29,999 = 10% CIF up to CI$60,999 = 12% CIF up to CI$99,999 = 15% CIF from CI$100,000 = 17%

Environmental Disposal Fee An Environmental Disposal fee is added to cover the cost of disposing of a vehicle in years to come. If a vehicle is valued at CI$12,000 (CIF) or less when it is imported then an environmental disposal fee of CI$1,000 plus a waste handling fee of CI$250 will be charged in addition to duty of 29.5%.

Exporting A Car From Cayman To ship a car off the Island, the process is as follows: go to the shipping company and either get a letter or dock receipt from them as proof of a vehicle being shipped off-Island. Then go to the DVDL and terminate registration of the vehicle, surrender the log book, coupon and licence plates. You will then need to go to Customs and then fill out a vehicle export form. They will review your entry and either approve or deny it.

If approved, take this form over to Customs and they will then process the document. You can then arrange the shipping of the vehicle with a freight forwarder or one of the shipping companies.

BUYING A NEW CAR

Unlike some other islands, there are no size restrictions on cars in Cayman (except Hummers, which cannot be wider than 6.7ft). Almost every make of car is available to purchase and you can own as many cars as you want.

There are dealers who sell new cars at competitive prices. For example, a new 2021 Suzuki Ignis GLX is listed at US$25,488 and a 2022 Chevrolet Onix at US$22,440. For SUVs, which